GOP Debate Live Blog: Donald Trump’s Faceoff With Rivals On Fox News

It was the night political junkies and reality TV fans had been waiting for. The first televised debate of the 2016 presidential race is in the books. Billionaire businessman and former “The Apprentice” star Donald Trump led a field of 10 Republican POTUS candidates as determined by a survey of national polls: ex-Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, ex-Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, neurosurgeon Dr. Ben Carson, Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida, Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and Ohio Gov. John Kasich. Only Huckabee has experience on the presidential-hopeful debate stage, having run in 2008.

With Donald Trump spending seven years as host of NBC’s ‘The Apprentice’ franchise – and claiming he banked more than $200 mil in the process — the only candidate who can claim more screen time is Mike Huckabee. The former Arkansas governor had his own Fox News show for more than six years before exiting in January.

A pumped-up audience will be watching this hijacked race to become the GOP presidential nominee to watch the top nine other also-runnings – Doc, Grumpy, Happy, Sleepy, Bashful, Sneezy, Dopey, Zeppo and Piglet – is able to toss Donald Trump out of the boardroom. Ratings are expected to be huge — Fox News exec Jay Wallace has been quoted calling tonight’s debut “unlike any other debate” – ever.

Tonight’s event is being held at Cleveland’s Quicken Loans Arena – also the site of the 2016 Republican National Convention in July. It’ll be the first time the city has hosted the GOP confab since Kansas Gov. Alf Landon was nominated to get trounced by incumbent President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1936.

During this afternoon’s undercard debate for the bottom seven GOP candidates – let’s call it the kids table – candidates hoped for a breakout or viral moment. No such luck. The general consensus is that none of them did enough to boost their candidacy to the next level.

The not ready for primetime players in the B-debate were Texas Gov. Perry and former Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania – both of whom also ran in 2012 — Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, ex-Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina, Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, former New York Gov. George Pataki and ex-Virginia Gov. Jim Gilmore, who ran in 2008.

Fox News’ Chris Wallace, one of the moderators of the main event tonight, called the B-debate for Carly Fiorina. A Twitter poll during Greta Van Susteren’s show gave Fiorina a mandate: 84% said she won the debate. Everyone else was in single digits.

Looking ahead, CNN will host GOP Debate 2: The Sequel on September 16 at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, CA. Meanwhile, the Democratic National Committee release the schedule for its debates today: The first will be October 13 in Nevada, hosted by CNN. Primary season starts February 1 with the Iowa caucuses, followed the New Hampshire primary on February 9.

Attention, candidates who want to shout at the devil: After crews pack up the Quicken Loans Arena in the wake of tonight’s debate, the venue’s next event will be a concert by Motley Crue and Alice Cooper. Might one of the debaters channel “No More Mr. Nice Guy” onstage?

Bret Baier tries to get Trump to pledge he won’t run as indie if he doesn’t get this nomination. He refuses. Audience boos. Big fat set-up. This may be best line of the night and it’s just getting started: Trump: “If I’m the nominee I pledge I won’t run as an independent.”

Megyn asks Trump about speaking his mind, including calling women “fat pigs, dogs and disgusting animals.” “Only Rosie O’Donnell,” Trump snaps back, dinging her good. He says the big problem in this country is “being politically correct” and that he doesn’t have time for political correctness and neither does the country. What a gaffe to try to take on Trump over political correctness before this crowd. Trump cut her off at the knees, using humor, which she can’t handle.

Trump may be the first candidate since the Tammany Hall days run on bragging about how much money’s he’s handed out to politicians and how much he’s gotten for it.. Hillary came to his wedding, he boasted. She had to. He’s given her that much money, he crowd. That was the biggest “pass” for Trump of the evening.

Trump makes a play for the very large bankrupt-American votes. “Four times I’ve taken advantage of the laws and so has everybody else in my position…. When somebody else uses those laws, its’ ‘Trump Trump Trump’. “…Guaranteeing he won’t carry New Jersey, he said, “every company in Atlantic City went bankrupt” and he bragged that he made a lot of money as Atlantic City cratered.

42 Comments

Kelly is asking stupid personal questions, she isnt qualified, bret is doing a great job

mike • on Aug 6, 2015 9:58 pm

Moderator Megyn Kelly going to commercial: “After the break, we’re gonna slam Trump a few more times then let everyone make their closing statements, final thoughts. . Stay tuned for that.”

Anonymous • on Aug 7, 2015 6:03 am

No longer a loyal supporter of fox news. Feel Megan damaged herself more than Trump. Very disappointed at the level they stooped to. No longer “fair and balanced”. Obviously they need to destroy Trump to push their boy Bush and frankly feel this is insulting from Fox News
Sharon

Anonymous • on Aug 6, 2015 7:01 pm

Love Mr Teump

Anonymous • on Aug 6, 2015 7:13 pm

Trump brought the rating. FOX threw him under the bus, AND WON. Foolish FOX.

jimmy kraktov • on Aug 6, 2015 8:48 pm

My take is that the establishment wants Trump out of the way and there’s no love lost between them anyway, so FOX figures, why not help the cause? Trump outFOXed them and kept his cool.

WWW • on Aug 6, 2015 7:23 pm

The debate makes it even more obvious Trump is in Jeb Bush’s pocket to make Jeb look moderate and sane.

FREDDY • on Aug 6, 2015 7:52 pm

What an idiot you are

FREDDY • on Aug 6, 2015 7:24 pm

LOOK EVERY THING SUBJECT THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT is because of Donald TRUMP from the Questions they are asking to the ANSWERS the Other Candidates are saying – EXACT quotes from DT ….. And they are needling DT
in unfair way – AND I believe giving the TOP Candidate LESS TIME when in fact they should give me MORE TIME OR at least EQUAL ITS NOT EQUAL
DT HAS SET THE TONE STAGE EVERYTHING FOR THESE DEBATES AND BREATHED LIFE INTO THEM Any one that does not realize this is dis honest or BRAIN DEAD

Anonymous • on Aug 6, 2015 7:58 pm

Agreed.. Noticed that!

Anonymous • on Aug 6, 2015 7:24 pm

WTH… why is Chris Wallace is being so hard on Trump.
He almost appears very Liberal over The Donald.

Anonymous • on Aug 6, 2015 7:26 pm

This line of questions just shows even fox news is just part of the corupt political machine. Trump is a threat so fox is tearing him down tonight.can they ask just a straight policy question without attacking him??

ABC • on Aug 6, 2015 8:01 pm

They’re trying to tear down everyone not named Jeb Bush. She must have gotten her marching orders from Ailes.

FREDDY • on Aug 6, 2015 7:27 pm

LOOK EVERY THING Every SUBJECT THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT Besides abortion – is because of Donald TRUMP from the Questions they are asking to the ANSWERS the Other Candidates are giving – saying – EXACT quotes from DT ….. And the press are needling DT I feel in an unfair way – and I believe giving the TOP Candidate LESS TIME when in fact they should give me MORE TIME OR at least EQUAL time – ITS NOT EQUAL
DT HAS SET THE TONE – STAGE – EVERYTHING – FOR THESE DEBATES Has BREATHED LIFE INTO THEM Anyone that does not regconize this is dis honest or BRAIN DEAD

Anonymous • on Aug 6, 2015 7:39 pm

trump is awesome! fox news is definitely trying to throw him under the bus at the command of the establishment-pathetic. We need a real voice, not these robots.

Joan Toups • on Aug 6, 2015 8:15 pm

The loser In this whole debate is Fox moderators ,
from my perspective , they are trying to make a name for themselves by demoralizing all th candidates.

I thought Bush did alright, however some of his answers came off as insincere. I think Trump answered a lot of tough questions very smoothly and without hesitation. He is still by far the Lead candidate!!

Lori Russell • on Aug 6, 2015 7:45 pm

I have never seen such disrespect from a group of people regarding the office of the president. Such an embarrassment to our country.

Larry • on Aug 7, 2015 1:04 pm

It’s not the office being disrespected, it’s the person in the office.

The moderators are a disgrace. The first debate was professional • on Aug 6, 2015 7:45 pm

The moderators are a disgrace.

mike • on Aug 6, 2015 9:52 pm

couldn’t agree more Trump is a threat so fox is tearing him down tonight.can they ask just a straight policy question without attacking him??

Anonymous • on Aug 6, 2015 7:46 pm

Let’s rattle off again how many fighters work and don’t work .. Really paints a weak picture of our armed forces.. In Trumps Words.. That was Stupid to mention on National Television..

Anonymous • on Aug 6, 2015 7:58 pm

IS THERE EVEN ONE OF THEM THST WILL GIVE UP HIS LAST 60 SECONDS TO ASK EVERYONE TO JOIN HIM IN SAYING THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE?

Anonymous • on Aug 7, 2015 11:26 am

WHY WOULD THEY DO THAT THIS IS NOT GRADE SCHOOL GROW UP

Anonymous • on Aug 6, 2015 7:58 pm

Fox News should be ashamed of themselves for the way they are treating Trump. The moderators are purposely trying to bait him and make him look bad. Shame on you! I may have to watch CNN from now on because this display has sickened me.

Justasportsnut • on Aug 6, 2015 8:37 pm

Lion, tigers and bears! Oh My!

jimmy kraktov • on Aug 6, 2015 8:39 pm

Trump kept his act respectable tonight and despite FOX trying to run him down he came out looking at least as good as any of them and in my opinion he made more honest statements than all the others combined. Rand Paul isn’t going to get much further and trying to out bully the fat man made him sound like a smart ass college kid. Lots to say but nowhere to go with it.

All of you singing Donald’s praises for his performance tonight – are you fucking sheep? Did you happen to “forget” the moment where he threatened to potentially ruin the entire race for Republicans if he isn’t deemed the nominee by running as a third party candidate?

If you heard that happen yet you think he “did well”, YOU are the reason Republicans can’t take the White House anymore.

Anonymous • on Aug 7, 2015 2:08 am

Really, I would of been peeved if he didn’t raise his hand. Trump’s a Republican but if his party doesn’t back him what’s wrong with running independent? The party would love to kick him aside and get the bought puppets in office without having to run against Trump. Trump may not be the smoothest talker but he’s not a polished politician, thank god. We need someone like Trump at this time. Right now we need not to worry about moral issues or if the Canadiate likes the same baseball team as me. We need a strong leader that gets something done and not just talks about it. He’s rich but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t love this country & want it to be what it should. Gay marriage, abortion views or even religious views need put on hold for a bit or let the states deal with these issues. The military, economy, trade & deficit need fixed. Let’s face it the government needs to work like a business & we let politicians run it. Let’s try a real business man for once. Trumps views about policies, trade and oversees american companies will badly affect many wealthy republicans & they want him out can’t you all see the truth.

Erik • on Aug 7, 2015 3:23 am

Dorian, you don’t get it we already have one of the candidates picked for us hide emails Clinton and if the republicans won’t backed their most loved by the people canidate Trump and want us to have their pick then we already have lost. This reminds me of Ron Paul if the republicans would have listened to the people and backed Paul, Hussein would have only had 1 term so if they won’t listen to the people then as much as I hate liberals I don’t care if the the republicans don’t win in my opinion if it’s not Trump then all we get is more the same either way but hey you keep cheering for Rhinos I’m Trump or bust….

Mongo • on Aug 6, 2015 11:12 pm

Debate was great. Had A few people over to watch debate because they can’t afford cable tv or a smart phone. To bad Fox News, cnn, and abc can’t get together and broadcast all of the debates. I’m sure there was a lot of people that would like to watch the debates but simply don’t have the income. Fox must think maybe there vote isn’t important.

Jon Kamp • on Aug 6, 2015 11:47 pm

Fox News Republican Primary Debate of Aug-06-2015

Drudgereport com Poll shows Trump Wins Debate by Almost 3 to 1 to Next Best Candidate.

Donald Trump and The People Win – In 2016 Vote – Make America Great Again.!

Megyn Kelly was the LOSER tonight, she showed her true self and alienated a lot of people.

Social media is calling her the “Candy Crawley” of Fox News

And – Truckers For Trump Says Trump is a Man of Action!

Anonymous • on Aug 7, 2015 2:31 am

Disappointed in Fox; They went after Trump. They are no different than the other networks. They brag about being “Fair and Balanced”. They had an agenda last night to take down Trump. They did just that.

Once again the panelists let their egos get in the way. Two thirds of the time was spent on gotcha questions. Most questions were preceeded by a 2 minute speech by the egotists. It was a fashion show for the panelists. No longer a Fox News loyalist